Where is all of America's ammunition? Jazz Shaw

[mystery-ak]

Where is all of America's ammunition?
Jazz Shaw 10:01 AM on April 23, 2023


It’s been known for some time now that America’s reserve of munitions has been severely depleted by the ongoing war in Ukraine. Our NATO allies in Europe aren’t doing much better. Concerns have been raised as to whether or not we would still have enough ammunition to support a sustained combat effort if we had to defend Taiwan against China or meet any other military threat. This is particularly true of our supply of 155mm howitzer shells, which the Ukrainian forces use in vast numbers every day. So why aren’t we catching up on the domestic production of these rounds? As it turns out, we currently have only two plants capable of producing these shells and they are unable to expand production very much at this point. One of the plants, located in Scranton, Pennsylvania, is already working at maximum capacity and we can’t open up other facilities overnight. (Associated Press)

    The Scranton Army Ammunition Plant is at the vanguard of a multibillion-dollar Pentagon plan to modernize and accelerate its production of ammunition and equipment not only to support Ukraine, but to be ready for a potential conflict with China.

    But it is one of just two sites in the U.S. that make the steel bodies for the critical 155 mm howitzer rounds that the U.S. is rushing to Ukraine to help in its grinding fight to repel the Russian invasion in the largest-scale war in Europe since World War II.

    The invasion of Ukraine revealed that the U.S. stockpile of 155 mm shells and those of European allies were unprepared to support a major and ongoing conventional land war, sending them scrambling to bolster production.

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https://hotair.com/jazz-shaw/2023/04/23/where-is-all-of-americas-ammunition-n545690

[Fishrrman]

"Where is all of America's ammunition?"

We've given it all away...
(to what end...?)

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Can somebody suggest a potential land war scenario of the type that would require us to have a massive stockpile of artillery shells?  Because I'm not seeing it.

The only real military threat out there other than Russia is China, and that would be an air/naval war if it ever got to that point.   

[Free Vulcan]

Somewhere where we can't use it against China.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Somewhere where we can't use it against China.

But...where?

I literally do not see a plausible vital national interest that would require us to field large conventional land armies overseas.  The only such location is in Europe as part of our NATO obligations, and as a consequence of a Russian invasion.  But that's where that ammunition is getting expended anyway, and against the Russians.

Every other strategic national interest that would require power projection overseas would be primarily our air and naval forces, which are not being expended in Ukraine.

[jmyrlefuller]

Can somebody suggest a potential land war scenario of the type that would require us to have a massive stockpile of artillery shells?  Because I'm not seeing it.

The only real military threat out there other than Russia is China, and that would be an air/naval war if it ever got to that point.

Some nefarious foreign power decides to arm the Latino migrants.

[Free Vulcan]

Every other strategic national interest that would require power projection overseas would be primarily our air and naval forces, which are not being expended in Ukraine.

We hope anyway. But if it happens we get caught, such as if China invades Taiwan with ground troops, our shorts will be down.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

Some nefarious foreign power decides to arm the Latino migrants.

Is this a serious answer?

The major issue is 155mm artillery ammunition.  I feel very confident in saying that wouldn't exact be on top of the combat load lists for if someone started handing AK's out to migrants.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

We hope anyway. But if it happens we get caught, such as if China invades Taiwan with ground troops, our shorts will be down.

China would be unable to invade Taiwan unless they had control of the sea and air.  And if they did have control of the sea and air, we'd be foolish in the extreme to commit U.S. ground forces to defend Taiwan.